"Stalin!" Callisto screamed when he opened the door of their room, seeing Stalin pale and lifeless, dangling from the ceiling. "What did you do?"
    As he opened his eyes, Callisto realized that he was only dreaming, that Stalin wasn't hanging from the ceiling, and that she was sleeping soundly beside him. It was a nightmare. He cuddled her tightly as if he didn't want her to go. He didn't know what to do if she went.
    "Why? What happened?" Stalin asked.
    "I thought, I thought you died," Callisto gasped. "Please don't think that I didn't love you."
    "Why would I? You've been taking care of me since I was crazy, and even if I have amnesia, so don't doubt my love for you," Stalin assured him.
    "But your friend. Are you not mad at me?" Callisto asked.
    "If I am, what can anger do? I know you didn't like her either." Stalin pushed her body closer to him, leaving no space between. She kissed his cheeks and wiped his tears. "I can do better."
    It was cold outside, but Callisto felt the warmth of Stalin's love. Callisto held Stalin's head; she was already above him and gently claimed his lips, as he didn't want to be harsh with her because he knew that she wanted it gentle.
    "Let's continue this later. I still need to prepare for school." Callisto kissed Stalin's forehead and jumped out of bed. He removed his clothes and used a towel to cover his lower body.
    Stalin's face flushed seeing her handsome boyfriend. Her eyes didn't leave him. Callisto looked at her and smiled, as if telling her to take it slow.
    "Is it okay with you if I bathe you?" Stalin asked, standing up from the bed.
    "I'm not a kid anymore, but I don't mind if you want to bathe with me," Callisto replied, extending his hand to Stalin.
    "Let's go." Stalin held Callisto's hand and led him to the bathroom. She removed her clothes, showing him every part of her body without shame.
    After taking a bath, Stalin and Callisto continued to the kitchen to have coffee becuase it was cold. Stalin asked him if he wouldn't mind if she'd go with him to school, because she also wanted to learn something and not just stay at home all the time with nothing much to do.
    Callisto hesitated for a while, knowing that his younger sister would be left alone at home if Stalin went to school, but remembering that she wasn't a kid anymore, although she was small enough to reach things, he eventually allowed her.
    "Good to see you both here," Sebastian said, entering the kitchen. "You should not hide secrets from each other if you want to have a long-lasting relationship."
    "Where's Ruth anyway?" Callisto asked.
    "Your sister is not that young anymore; she acts like an old woman," Sebastian replied.
    "She's not Ruth, Dad, she's Cryrie. Do you know her?" Callisto asked, remembering the name of the bird. At first he thought she was just joking around, but he realized that everything she said was true.
    "Sounds familiar," Sebastian replied, but he couldn't remember. What came to his mind was how he had amnesia. That exciting moment in their lives, they were driving to their honeymoon when they had an accident.
    When he woke up, Sebastian wondered if he was already in heaven and his wife was the angel taking care of him, and he was thankful that she never changed, though his memories were wiped out with the wind.
    "I remember!" Sebastian exclaimed. "But how did it happen? Why didn't you tell me earlier? She might be planning something wrong!"
    "You're thinking too much, Dad. We have been with Ruth for over eight years, and if she had a bad plan, then she had already done it, but we're here, safe and sound," Callisto said.
    "And how can you be sure?" Sebastian asked. "Do you know that the longer the enemy stays, the more trust they get from their target, and that trust can be used to destroy everything?"
    "It doesn't matter if she's not your real daughter as long as you were the ones who raised her, you and Mom. How can she hurt those people who considered her a family? That would be ungrateful!" Callisto defended.
    "You have a point, but I'm still not convinced. I can't even believe that she's Cryrie, but if she is, there's probably a reason why Estrella sent her, and that might be to take revenge," Sebastian said, as if he completely remembered everything.
    "Don't worry, Dad. Estrella has already died. She's not as smart as we think, because she killed herself," Callisto said.
    "You don't really know her, son. She's a goddess, and goddesses don't die right away. They can be reincarnated in different bodies. I'm not telling you this to scare you, but to warn you not to just trust anyone," Sebastian replied.
    "But Dad, I'm not as mediocre as you think, because Ruth already told me the whole story—that Estrella killed herself during your wedding, so you don't need to worry about her," Callisto said.
    "Okay, and why are we talking about this anyway? You still need to go to school, and me, I'm going to work. How about Stalin and Ruth?" Sebastian asked.
    "You've said it already, Ruth is not that young anymore. Perhaps she's doing something for herself. As for Stalin, she wants to go to school with me," Callisto said.
    "Oh? That's nice; no one will be left here. You should prepare yourselves now if you want to join with me," Sebastian said.
    "It's still early, so we'll walk to school, and we haven't even eaten our breakfast yet, but you are so excited. You may go first," Callisto replied.
    After tying his shoes, Sebastian opened the door and went outside the house. Every time he would open the door and see Mount October, the first thing that crossed his mind was how their lives were.
    "Hi Dad. Are you going to work?" Ruth asked.
    "Yup. And what are you doing here?" Sebastian asked.
    "I'm planting vegetables. I'll make our surroundings green again," Ruth replied as if she were an old woman.
    "That's nice. I didn't expect you to like to plant," Sebastian said. "Anyway, I have to go now before I'll be late to work again. Your brother and Stalin are going to school also, so you'll be left alone here for today. Is that okay with you?"
    "Don't worry, Dad, I'm accustomed to being alone!" Ruth replied.
    "Good then." Sebastian walked towards his car and entered it. He felt guilty that he wasn't paying much attention to Ruth just as much as to Callisto. Perhaps she hates him for treating her unfairly because she wasn't his real daughter.
    But what else could he do? Ruth was reincarnated through her master's power, and Sebastian couldn't force himself to trust her anymore. He even thought that she might have a connection to his wife's death and wished that he had regained his memories as soon as possible.
    With his bad inference and foreboding, Sebastian drove the car furiously, but it couldn't handle too much engine. The old car dashed off and accidentally collided against a post. The bench was the last thing that appeared in Sebastian's sight before everything turned dark.
    Callisto halted and held his chest when he felt a sudden heartache. He and Stalin were going to school, but Callisto felt like he didn't want to continue. He felt so uncomfortable, and he couldn't explain his intuition.
    "Why did you stop?" Stalin asked.
    "I don't feel like going anymore," Callisto replied.
    "Do you have a stomach ache? Headache? Fever? Or what?" Stalin asked all the possible reasons.
    "Heartache; my heartbeat isn't normal every time you're with me," Callisto replied sarcastically.
    "And you still know how to joke regardless of that?" Stalin reprimanded him. "If you're not in the mood to go to school, then we can go back."
    "But we have a test today. My grade will be affected if I don't attend," Callisto replied, still holding his chest.
    "No more buts, send an excuse letter to your teacher right away. You have your phone, right?" Stalin stepped back but noticed that Callisto wasn't moving. "Do you want to go, or are you waiting for me to carry you?"
    "If you're strong, but I'm heavier," Callisto said.
    "Then let's go. You might be tired of what we did last night. I'm sure your teacher can understand. Let's go home and take a rest instead." Stalin grabbed his hand and attempted to go when someone blocked his way.
    "Hi, Callisto!" The girl greeted. "Where are you going?"
    "Adelaide," Stalin said, remembering her face. "Do you know Callisto's teachers?"
    "Yup, why? And who are you anyway?" Adelaide asked as if she couldn't recognize Stalin.
    "I'm," before Stalin could say her real name, Callisto cut her off.
    "She's Milo! My girlfriend," Callisto interrupted.
    "Oh! So you have a girlfriend? I thought you were single," Adelaide said, her palm flying to her mouth.
    "Yup. We've been dating since March," Callisto replied.
    "So what are you doing here? Are you going to school?" Adelaide asked.
    "That's exactly the reason why we stopped. He's not feeling well, so I'm asking if you can help us by telling his teachers that he'll be absent," Stalin replied.
    "Of course. No problem. I hope that he'll be fine soon," Adelaide said.
    "Thanks, Laide!" Stalin exclaimed.
    How did she know me? Adelaide wondered as she continued walking. They were not even friends, but why was she calling her like they already knew each other? That gorgeous girl named Milo was perfect for a bread on a winter morning.
    "Why didn't you allow me to introduce myself?" Stalin asked.
    "You should forget the old you, Stalin. Many people don't know you anymore, so you should have a fresh start," Callisto replied.
    Stalin knew that Callisto was right. She was no longer that girl who used to run wild in the street and beg for food. She had freed herself from the curse, and she owed it to Callisto; her kiss freed her like in a fairytale.
    "Let's go back now," Stalin said. "Can you manage?"
    Callisto nodded as a reply. His heartache slowly faded, knowing that Stalin was next to him. They headed back home and saw Ruth in the front yard, who was still planting vegetables and crops.
    Ruth was humming a song. She had a wonderful voice, and many birds and butterflies were flying around her, as if she could understand them. Even the flowers bloomed, as if they could hear her angelic voice.
    "Oh! Why did you come back?" Ruth asked when she saw Stalin and Callisto entering the wooden gate. The birds and butterflies leave her, and the flowers go back to normal.
    "Callisto is so dramatic. He didn't want to go to school just because of a little heartache," Stalin replied.
    "Said the one who's not!" Callisto half-shouted as he continued inside the house, complaining that she was the one who persuaded him to go back, and now she would tell his sister that he was just being so dramatic?
    "How about you?" Stalin asked Ruth. "Why won't you take a rest first and drink some warm soup? It's cold here."
    "It's cold, and I have no one to hug and to talk with except these plants, unlike you, but we can prepare a soup together," Ruth suggested.
    They went inside the house and continued to the kitchen while Callisto was inside his bedroom, staring at them through the window with feelings he could barely explain. He suddenly remembered his father; he hoped nothing bad had happened to him.